1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to initialization of new process cartridge.
2) Description of the Related Art
When an image formation device such as a copier is shipped, a process cartridge that includes a photosensitive member and a developing section is put in a separate carton to avoid contamination inside the image formation device. The process cartridge is installed into the copier body at the destination. When the copier body is booted, a new cartridge detecting unit automatically detects the new process cartridge, and, initialization, including developer agitation, toner filling, and image formation voltage and writing output adjustments, is performed. As a result, optimum processing conditions are set to obtain desired image quality beginning from the very first copy. This type of process cartridge has been disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-258979 (hereinafter “patent publication 1”). Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-185236 (hereinafter “patent publication 2”) discloses an image formation device that checks a history that indicates whether the installed toner cartridge is a new one or a used one. The device initializes the history when a new cartridge is installed and executes an image forming operation under a pre-determined running condition. On the other hand, if a used toner cartridge is installed, the device does not initialize the history.
In general, the configuration for detecting whether the process cartridge is new is a mechanical one associated with the process cartridge and the copier body. However, if the new cartridge detecting unit is faulty and does not properly detect installation of the new process cartridge, then printing may be started without execution of the initialization of the cartridge. In this case, apart from the drawback that a desired image quality can not be obtained, the process cartridge, which is almost new, has to be replaced with another new process cartridge. This problem arises if the mechanism for mechanically detecting a new process cartridge is employed. This problem also arises in the image formation device disclosed in the patent publication 2 that executes initialization of the process cartridge based on the history.
Moreover, when a user opens a door, or an unexpected sudden power failure occurs during the initialization of the copier body and the process cartridge, it interrupts the initialization and causes the normal printing to start before completion of the initialization. Since the initialization is incomplete; a desired image is not obtained.